“I am very upset with Nicholas. He is 4.5 years old now. We took him to a restaurant yesterday evening and he started to throw temper tantrums in the public. I could not help but started yelling at him, I feel really bad” Jessica, 34 years
Dr. Stork says: Young children nearly always have tantrums out of frustration or because they are pitting their will against that of others.
Older children have tantrums because they can think of no other way of showing their determination. In the privacy of your own home the best way to deal with a tantrum is simply to ignore it and leave the room.
It’s slightly more difficult, however, in public, and you can do several things. Don’t fuss, shout, or get flustered. Take your child calmly into a quiet place and attempt to calm him down. If you are in a shop take him out into the street, or into your car, or out of the restaurant into the toilet.
To learn more about cultivating positive behavior in your children, please read further on:
Cultivate positive behavior in your child
Tips on raising a confident and well-adjusted child